Plucked from the crowd to meet Her Majesty

By Tash Impey

Never in her royalist of dreams did Mount Gambier woman Ros Hodson expect to be plucked from a crowd to meet Her Majesty, but it all came true for the unwavering monarchist when she came face-to-face with the Queen on her visit to Melbourne.

Up at four AM on the first flight, Hodson met up with her Melbournian friend Alison whom she had last seen when she'd hopped off the royal train at Geelong station over five-years ago.

The two keen monarchists arranged to meet at the Royal Children's Hospital where they eagerly awaited the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II as part of her whirlwind - and most likely last - visit around Australia.

As crowds started to muster the two women secured a spot up front against the barricade, and lapped up the excitable energy.

"There was very happy chatter as we stood and waited, it was just so wonderful," she said.

After Her Majesty had driven past in a 'blink and you'll miss it' moment, the ladies became gobsmacked when a security guard approached them.

"He came over to us and asked 'Would you like to present those flowers to Her Majesty?" said Hodson.

Alison was holding a bouquet of pink orchids straight from her garden when the two women were escorted onto a footpath to personally greet the Queen.

Hodson said the two friends had found themselves in one of life's surreal moments.

"The queen came over and Alison did a curtsey and said 'welcome we love you'.

"That beautiful smile suffused her face and she looked quickly across to me and said thank you.

"We were just over the moon, she was just lovely with beautiful skin," she said.

A royal follower her whole life, Hodson said while Her Majesty had a certain aura about her, she was nothing but approachable.

"You feel she just has her feet firmly on the ground and she wouldn't be swayed by mass adoration.

"You certainly didn't feel any sense of intimidation. It was just a lovely warm feeling.

"She's not a celebrity, she's someone who's taken her role seriously and fulfilled it sacrificially," she said.

Not only was this Mount Gambier woman in awe of Her Majesty's mystique, she credits the Commonwealth for keeping Australians happy.

"I think the system is a wonderful system, because she has no power, but she stops anyone else having any power and that is why our country is peaceful," she said.

Back in Mount Gambier after her overnight mid-week visit to meet Her Majesty, Ros Hodson will treasure the memory for a lifetime.

"It was really an unforgettable memory, it was one of those blessed days."